Method for Infrastructure-Supported Assistance of a Motor Vehicle

The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of German Patent Application No. DE 10 2024 203 733.8 filed on Apr. 22, 2024, which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The present invention relates to a method for infrastructure-supported assistance of a motor vehicle, a method for at least partially automated guidance of a motor vehicle, a system for infrastructure-supported assistance of a motor vehicle, an apparatus for at least partially automated guidance of a motor vehicle, a computer program, and a machine-readable storage medium.

PCT Patent Application No. WO 2023/004184 A1 describes a method for monitoring a road.

European Patent Application No. EP 3 674 920 A1 describes a method for creating map data. PCT Patent Application No. WO 2022/081421 A1 describes a method for data transfer within an infrastructure.

An object of the present invention is to provide efficient infrastructure-supported assistance of a motor vehicle.

An object of the present invention is also to provide efficient at least partially automated guidance of a motor vehicle.

These objects may be achieved using certain features of the present invention. Advantageous example embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for infrastructure-supported assistance of a motor vehicle using at least two data processing devices is provided. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the following steps:

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for at least partially automated guidance of a motor vehicle is provided. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the method includes the following steps:

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a system for infrastructure-supported assistance of a motor vehicle is provided. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the system includes:

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for at least partially automated guidance of a motor vehicle is provided. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus includes:

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a computer program is provided, which comprises instructions that, when the computer program is executed by a computer, for example by the system according to the third aspect and/or by the apparatus according to the fourth aspect, cause said computer to carry out a method according to the first aspect and/or according to the second aspect.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, a machine-readable storage medium is provided, on which the computer program according to the fifth aspect is stored.

The present invention is based on and includes the insight that at least two data processing devices, for example three data processing devices, are used for infrastructure-supported assistance of a motor vehicle. The data processing devices are provided with the same surroundings data, wherein these surroundings data represent a surroundings of the motor vehicle. Based on these same surroundings data, each one of the data processing devices calculates infrastructure assistance data for infrastructure-supported assistance of the motor vehicle. For example, it is provided that the data processing devices send at least some of their respective ascertained infrastructure assistance data to one another, so that each data processing device compares its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data with infrastructure assistance data ascertained by another of the at least two data processing devices. The infrastructure assistance data sent to the respective data processing devices are received by the respective data processing devices. This, for example, produces the technical advantage that the data processing devices can compare its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data with the infrastructure assistance data ascertained by the other data processing device or the other data processing devices.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, if there are three data processing devices, it is thus, for example, provided that the first data processing device sends its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data to the second and to the third data processing device, and that the second data processing device does not send its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data to the first or the third data processing device, and that the third data processing device sends its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data to the first data processing device. The first data processing device can then compare its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data with the infrastructure assistance data ascertained by the third data processing device and the second data processing device can compare its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data with the infrastructure assistance data ascertained by the first data processing device and the third data processing device can compare its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data with the infrastructure assistance data ascertained by the first data processing device.

The three data processing devices are thus in particular each configured to send at least some of their respective ascertained infrastructure assistance data to one another, so that each data processing device can compare its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data with infrastructure assistance data ascertained by another of the at least two data processing devices.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, it is further provided that a same hash function is applied to the respectively calculated comparison result by means of the data processing devices in order to calculate a respective hash value. The hash values calculated by the data processing devices are sent to the motor vehicle. It is further provided that one of the data processing devices, in particular only one of the data processing devices, sends its self-ascertained infrastructure assistance data to the motor vehicle.

On the motor vehicle side, these infrastructure assistance data are received by one of the data processing devices. The calculated hash values are received on the motor vehicle side as well.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, if the data processing devices have ascertained the same infrastructure assistance data based on the same surroundings data, all of the data processing devices should also calculate or ascertain the same comparison result, so that the same hash value is accordingly calculated by each of the data processing devices.

Thus, if the data processing devices have all ascertained the same infrastructure assistance data based on the same surroundings data, the hash values received by the motor vehicle should match as well. If the hash values do not match, for example because one of the hash values differs from the other hash values, it can be assumed on the motor vehicle side that at least one of the ascertained infrastructure assistance data differs from the other infrastructure assistance data. It can therefore be determined, for example, that the received infrastructure assistance data cannot be used for at least partially automated guidance of the motor vehicle.

The reason for this is that at least partially automated guidance of a motor vehicle places high demands on the reliability and integrity of the data to be used for at least partially automated guidance of the motor vehicle. In the present case, these data are the infrastructure assistance data.

Infrastructure assistance data include an object list of objects in the vicinity of the motor vehicle, for instance. If one of the data processing devices has detected an object that has not been detected by the other data processing devices, for example, the correspondingly calculated object lists will differ from one another.

On the motor vehicle side, it is now impossible to determine which of the object lists is correct. In such a case, it is provided for safety reasons that the motor vehicle does not use any of the object lists for at least partially automated guidance of the motor vehicle, for instance. If the hash values differ from one another, it can, for example, be provided that the motor vehicle is driven with a limited at least partially automated driving function compared to the case in accordance with which all the hash values match. In other words, the motor vehicle can be driven at a lower speed when the hash values do not match than when the hash values do match, for example. If the hash values do not match, the motor vehicle may not allow at least partially automated guidance in a specific driving situation, for instance. If the hash values do not match, only a specific maximum level of automation can be permitted on the part of the motor vehicle, for instance. If the hash values do not match, only partially automated guidance can be permitted, for example, whereas if the hash values match, highly automated guidance or fully automated guidance or autonomous guidance of the motor vehicle is permitted.

This therefore in particular produces the technical advantage the motor vehicle can be driven safely in at least partially automated mode. The infrastructure can thus assist the motor vehicle efficiently; the infrastructure can in particular assist the motor vehicle safely. In other words, the infrastructure can help or assist the motor vehicle so that it can drive safely in at least partially automated mode based on the infrastructure assistance data.

This makes it possible to reduce the risk of an accident or a collision for the motor vehicle, for example. It also makes it possible to increase safety for road users in the vicinity of the motor vehicle.

Infrastructure-supported assistance of the motor vehicle means in particular that infrastructure assistance data are made available to the motor vehicle. The motor vehicle can derive instructions based on the infrastructure assistance data, for instance. For example, the motor vehicle can decide for itself what to do based on the infrastructure assistance data.

According to an example embodiment of the present invention, infrastructure assistance data include one or more of the following data elements, for example: control command for at least partially automated control of a lateral and/or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle, remote control command for at least partially automated remote control of a lateral and/or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle, enable command for enabling at least partially automated, in particular fully automated, travel of the motor vehicle for a specific period of time within a specific road section, target trajectory for the motor vehicle, target position for the motor vehicle, surroundings data that represent a surroundings of the motor vehicle, specification of what the motor vehicle should do, wherein the specification specifies whether the motor vehicle is permitted to drive or must stop, for example, object list of objects in the vicinity of the motor vehicle, information about objects in the vicinity of the motor vehicle, wherein the information includes the following, for example: speed, location, direction of travel.

Assisted guidance corresponds to level of automation 1 as defined by the German Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt). Partially automated guidance corresponds to level of automation 2 as defined by the BASt. Highly automated guidance corresponds to level of automation 3 as defined by the BASt. Fully automated guidance corresponds to level of automation 4 as defined by the BASt. Autonomous guidance corresponds to level of automation 5according to SAE (J3016), wherein SAE stands for “Society of Automotive Engineers”.

The phrase “at least partially automated guidance” includes one or more of the following cases: assisted guidance, partially automated guidance, highly automated guidance, fully automated guidance. The phrase “at least partially automated” therefore includes one or more of the following phrases: assisted, partially automated, highly automated, fully automated. At least partially automated guidance of the motor vehicle includes at least partially automated control of a lateral and/or longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle.

Assisted guidance means that a driver of the motor vehicle continuously carries out either the lateral guidance or the longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle. The respective other driving task (i.e. controlling the longitudinal or lateral guidance of the motor vehicle) is carried out automatically. This means that either the lateral or the longitudinal guidance is controlled automatically when the motor vehicle is guided in an assisted manner.

Partially automated guidance means that in a specific situation (for example: driving on a freeway, driving in a parking lot, passing an object, driving within a travel lane defined by lane markings) and/or for a certain period of time, a longitudinal and a lateral guidance of the motor vehicle are controlled automatically. A driver of the motor vehicle does not have to control the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the motor vehicle manually. However, the driver has to continually monitor the automatic control of the longitudinal and lateral guidance in order to be able to intervene manually when necessary. The driver has to be ready to take over complete control of the motor vehicle at all times.

Highly automated guidance means that for a certain period of time in a specific situation (for example: driving on a freeway, driving in a parking lot, passing an object, driving within a travel lane defined by lane markings) a longitudinal and a lateral guidance of the motor vehicle are controlled automatically. A driver of the motor vehicle does not have to control the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the motor vehicle manually. The driver does not have to continuously monitor the automatic control of the longitudinal and lateral guidance in order to be able to intervene manually when necessary. If necessary, a take-over request to the driver to take over control of the longitudinal and lateral guidance is issued automatically, in particular issued with adequate time to respond. The driver therefore has to potentially be able to take control of the longitudinal and lateral guidance. Limits of the automatic control of the lateral and longitudinal guidance are recognized automatically. In highly automated guidance, it is not possible to automatically bring about a minimal risk state in every initial situation.

Fully automated guidance means that, in a specific situation (for example: driving on a freeway, driving in a parking lot, passing an object, driving within a travel lane defined by lane markings), longitudinal guidance and lateral guidance of the motor vehicle are controlled automatically. A driver of the motor vehicle does not have to control the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the motor vehicle manually. The driver does not have to monitor the automatic control of the longitudinal and lateral guidance in order to be able to intervene manually when necessary. Before the automatic control of the lateral and longitudinal guidance is ended, the driver is automatically prompted to take over the driving task (control of the lateral and longitudinal guidance of the motor vehicle), in particular with adequate time to respond. If the driver does not take over the driving task, the system automatically returns to a minimal risk state. Limits of the automatic control of the lateral and longitudinal guidance are recognized automatically. In all situations, it is possible to automatically return to a minimal risk system state.

Autonomous guidance or driving means that the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the motor vehicle are automatically controlled in all situations, not just in one or more specific situations. The driver is no longer needed as a fallback level. The motor vehicle can therefore drive without a driver.

The terms “assist” and “support” can be used interchangeably.

The abbreviation “at least one” means “one or more”.

The motor vehicle is configured to be guided in an at least partially automated manner, for example.

In one embodiment of the method according to the first aspect, it is provided that the data processing devices are each implemented in a separate availability zone.

This, for example, produces the technical advantage that the data processing devices are implemented efficiently.

An availability zone is also referred to in English as an “availability zone”.

In one example embodiment of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is provided that at least three data processing devices are used.

This, for example, produces the technical advantage that a particularly suitable number of data processing devices can be used.

For example, exactly three data processing devices are used.

In one example embodiment of the method of the present invention, it is provided that the at least third data processing device is implemented in the availability zone of one of the two data processing devices and is hardware-independent of said one of the two data processing devices or is implemented in a separate availability zone.

This, for example, produces the technical advantage that the at least third data processing device can be implemented efficiently.

In the case of two data processing devices, it is thus provided that each of the data processing devices is implemented in a separate availability zone, for example.

In the case of two data processing devices, it is provided that one of the data processing devices is implemented in the availability zone of the other data processing device, for instance, but is implemented independently of the other of the two data processing devices in terms of hardware.

In one example embodiment of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is provided that the respective calculation of the infrastructure assistance data is carried out using dissimilar binary code respectively created from the same source code.

This, for example, produces the technical advantage that the infrastructure assistance data can be calculated efficiently.

According to this example embodiment, it is therefore provided that the binary code used by the data processing devices to ascertain the infrastructure assistance data is at least partially dissimilar in each case; i.e. at least one or more of the binary codes differ from one another. However, the source code, based on which the binary code used by the data processing devices was created, is the same. In other words, a same source code, based on which binary code used by the data processing devices to ascertain the infrastructure assistance data is created, is provided or used, wherein at least one, in particular several or all of the data processing devices, uses a binary code that is dissimilar compared to the other binary codes. Such dissimilar binary code can be created by one or more specific compiler settings of a compiler by means of which the binary code is compiled from the same source code, for instance.